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Forming a self-described "Okpoproko Rhythms" style in the middle ground between domestic and international genres, rapper and singer ODUMODUBLVCK used his firm, deep vocals to fuse genres from grime to Afro-beat across the early 2020s. The breakout song "Blood on the Dance Floor" with Wale and Bloody Civilian was a chart-topping hit and appeared on his 2023 mixtape EZIOKWU. The Tiwa Savage-assisted "100 Million" arrived in early 2024.

Spending his early years in Lagos before moving to Abuja at 17, Nigerian vocalist ODUMODUBLVCK (born Tochukwu Gbubemi Ojogwu) established himself across the 2010s and 2020s, emerging in 2018 with debut EP The Trenches. His early material spanned genres across local and global spheres, jumping between trap, Afro-beat, grime, and Afro-pop through the late 2010s as he formed a basis for his musical career. After pioneering his country’s take on drill with collaborative EP TaDE: The Afro Drill Experiment, he coalesced his disparate sounds on 2021 sophomore EP Time & Chance: the six-track tape marked the first realization of Ojogwu’s mix of approaches, harnessing his deep vocals for smooth earworms and bravado-laden anthems alike. After issuing sequel EP TaDE: The Afro Drill Experiment II and single “Dog Eat Dog,” he was signed to NATIVE in late 2022, in partnership with Def Jam. Under his new label, he closed out the year with his first charting single, "Picanto," before moving into 2023 with further successes "Declan Rice," "Dog Eat Dog II" (with Cruel Santino and Bella Shmurda), and "Firegun" (with Fireboy DML). "Declan Rice," named after the English football star, enjoyed success in the U.K., particularly in relation to its subject and won a Headie Award for Best Rap Song. Even more successful was the Wale and Bloody Civilian collaboration "Blood on the Dance Floor" which reached number one on the Nigerian charts. Both songs appeared on ODUMODUBLVCK's chart-topping mixtape EZIOKWU, released in October of that year. Several more collaborations kicked off 2024 including "No Suffer (3pm in Paris)" with WurlD and "100 Million" with Tiwa Savage. ~ David Crone

Deftly mixing lush Afrobeats with R&B swagger, Nigerian singer Fireboy DML became a breakout success with the 2019 release of his debut album, Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps. Songs like "Jealous" and "Vibrations" put him on the map ahead of his 2020 follow-up, Apollo, but it was the Ed Sheeran collaboration "Peru" and its 2022 parent album, Playboy, that brought him widespread international exposure.

Born Adedamola Adefolahan in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Fireboy began taking music seriously during his university days and later signed a deal with Olamide's YBNL Nation label largely on the strength of his song "Jealous." The label featured it on their 2018 collaborative album YBNL Mafia Family, then re-released "Jealous" on its own the following year. A second single, the romantic "What If I Say" preceded the November 2019 release of Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps, which also yielded the streaming hit "Vibrations." The album topped the Nigerian charts, and Fireboy capitalized on his momentum by delivering a follow-up, Apollo, less than a year later.

By this point he'd made a dent in markets outside of Africa, including the U.S. and U.K. In July 2021, he released the solo track "Peru," which became a breakout number two hit on the U.K. Singles Chart. By December Fireboy had reworked a version of the song to feature British star Ed Sheeran, which helped usher "Peru" onto numerous global charts, becoming his biggest hit to date. He kicked off 2022 with "Beauty in the Madness," a non-album collaboration with Rexx Life Raj and Wale, then in August of that year delivered his third LP, Playboy. Featuring both versions of "Peru" as well as the highly streamed title track, the record continued Fireboy's global assault and in the U.S. reached the latter half of the Billboard 200. "Someone" followed in 2023. ~ Timothy Monger

On his own and as a longtime member of the Nigerian group DRB LasGidi, Boj has put forward a unique, genre-bending version of Afrobeats he calls “alté,” incorporating a full array of genres and influences from reggae and dancehall to Western hip-hop and R&B. The result is a high-energy sound that’s earned him a solid fan base in Africa and Europe.

Bolaji Odojukan was born in London and spent his formative years between England and Nigeria. Inspired by the music his parents played, from the Fugees to Yoruba singer Lágbájá, Boj would join his schoolmates Teniola “TeeZee” Zaccheaus and Ladi “Fresh L” Ladenegan, also Nigerians in England, as part of their group Rap Royals in 2007. Over time, the group expanded into a loose collective of singers, rappers, and musicians in Lagos, and the trio became known as DRB LasGidi.

In 2014, Boj issued his first solo mixtape, #BOTM, consisting of tracks he’d cut with DRB (“Gra Gra”) and new tunes like the title track and “Paper,” on which he coined the term "alté" (from the Nigerian word for “alternative”) as a subgenre. Not content to easily fit into any one genre, Boj flitted through Afrobeats and other world influences alongside traditional pop, soul, and rap on the melodic Magic (2017) and Make E No Cause Fight and its sequel, two collaborations with fellow Nigerian Ajebutter 22 issued in 2018 and 2019. He also returned to where it all began in 2018, releasing DRB 10, his first album with DRB.

DRB released another album, 2020’s Pioneers, and Boj's star rose considerably when he guested on “Lazarus,” a track off British rapper Dave's We’re All Alone in This Together. 2022 brought a new solo album, Gbagada Express, featuring the Afrobeats hit “Culture.” Two years later, Boj returned with 12 Summers, a joyous album featuring the standouts “JABO,” “Pressure,” and “Love Garden.” ~ Mike Duquette

Nigerian Afro-pop artist Joeboy rose to international success with his mix of dreamy romantic pop and youthful R&B swagger. His 2019 breakout single "Baby" put him on the map, as did a feature on CKay's global smash "Love Nwatiti (Ah Ah Ah)," which arrived ahead of his 2021 debut album, Somewhere Between Beauty & Magic. Joeboy cemented his star status later that year with the chart-topping "Sip (Alcohol)," which also became a hit in the U.K. By the time he released his 2023 follow-up, Body & Soul, he'd notched additional U.K. hits with "Contour" and the Top Ten title track while also collaborating with artists like Oxlade, Ludacris, and later that year, Michaël Brun.

Born May 21, 1997, and raised in Lagos, Joeboy (aka Joseph Akinwale Akinfenwa) immersed himself in music from a young age, taking in hip-hop, trap, R&B, rock, and pop from around the world. He received his first big break when his cover of Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" found traction on social media sites, capturing the attention of Banku pioneer Mr. Eazi. Signing to Eazi's emPawa Africa project -- which was started to provide support for up-and-coming African artists -- Joeboy delivered his first single, "Fààjí," in 2018. The following year, he achieved breakout success with "Baby," a buoyant and glowing single that notched millions of streams across the Internet and positioned him as one of Nigeria's biggest rising stars. That same year, he collected "Baby," the follow-up single "Beginning," and a string of other tracks for the EP Love & Light. He also won Best Artiste in African Pop at the All Africa Music Awards and was nominated for several Headies and City People Music Awards.

In early 2020, Joeboy and Ghanaian singer Kuami Eugene were featured on a remix of CKay's song "Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah)" which became an international smash, topping several charts in Europe. He also took part in another high-profile collaboration, appearing alongside Mr. Eazi on DJ Neptune's "Nobody." Meanwhile, his own track, "Lonely," set the tone for what would become his debut album. Released in February 2021, Somewhere Between Beauty & Magic was a precisely crafted collection of pop and Afrobeat that fused introspection with romance. The album's modest success was practically eclipsed by another single he released later that year. "Sip (Alcohol)" became Joeboy's first Nigerian number one and made it two number two in the U.K. Over the next year, he followed with a barrage of singles including "Contour" and "Body & Soul," the latter of which was another Top Ten U.K. hit and the title track from his next album. Body & Soul was released in May 2023 and featured contributions from Nigerian luminaries like CKay and Oxlade as well as a guest spot from American rapper Ludacris. Joeboy continued to experiment outside his usual circle, working with Haitian DJ Michaël Brun on "Game Over." ~ Rich Wilson & Timothy Monger